Thera 1.76: Piyanjaha
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(76):Piyanjaha Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =76. Piyañjaha= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Vesālī, in the family of a Licchavi noble (rāja). When grown up he was ever mad for war and an unconquered fighter, ever sacrificing what was near and dear, so that he became known as Piyañjaha-Love-renouncing. But when the Lord(Buddha) came to Vesālī, Piyañjaha found faith in him, entered the Monk’s order, lived in the forest, developed insight and won arahantship(enlightenment). As arahant(enlightened) he thought, 'How different is worldly success from Ariyan success!' and by this insight confessing aññā(supreme attainment), he uttered this verse: ---- 76 Uppatantesu nipate nipatantesu uppate|| Vase avasamānesu ramamānesu ni rame' ti.|| || ---- 76 Where men are arrogant, see you lie low.1 Where they are low in mind, lift up the heart. Live you where other folk care not to live, In which men find delight, take you no joy. ---- 1 In the text the inflexion used is the third person singular of the older optative in a: he, one, should lie low. ---- =1.8-676 Commentary on the stanza of Piyañjahatthera= The stanza starting with uppatantesu nipate constitutes that of the venerable Thera Piyañjaha. What is the origin? He also having done devoted deeds toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, became a tree divinity at Himavanta, at the time of the Blessed One Vipassī. Living in a hill, he had to station himself at the extreme end of the audience, in the coming together of divine beings owing to his meagre power, listened to the teaching of truth (dhamma), aptly gained pious faith, reflected upon the qualities of the Master, after having come across one day in the river gaṅga a delightful and excellently pure piece of sandy beach, thus:– “Much more profusely pure than this also are the qualilties of the Master, which are endless and all-round immeasurable.” In this manner, in connection with the qualities of the Master, he made his mind pleasingly pious (pasādetvā) and on account of that act of merit he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in the royal family of Licchavā, at Vesālī, when this Buddha arose. On having come of age, he became intoxicated (sonḍo) with battle-flights (yuddha) invincible in the battle-field and owing to his doing (karane) of loss of love (piyahāni) for enemies (amittānaṃ), he was well-known as Piyañjaha. On the arrival at Vesālī of the Master, he aptly gained pious faith, became a monk, and having increasinlgy developed spritual insight (vipassanā) while living in the forest, attained Arahantship. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna. “In the Himavanta hill I lived in the hill. On having seen the splendour of sand, I reflected on the most ex- cellent Buddha. In knowledge, there is no comparison; to the Master there is no action resulting in reaction (saṃkhāra). Having specially known (abhiññāya) all the truths (dhamma), He became eminently emancipated (adhi- muccati) by His knowledge. My adoration is to you, O well-bred personage! I worship you, O most excellent man! As far as your most excellent knowledge is concerned you have no peer in knowledge. Having made my mind pleasinglly pious towards His knowledge, I was full of joy in heaven for an aeon (kappa), in the rest of the aeons (kappa), good deed was done by me. It was ninetyone aeons (kappa) ago, from now, that I then gained the perception. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my perception of His knowledge. Seventy aeons (kappa) ago, from now, I became a very strong world-king named Pulina pupphiya (sand flower), endowed with seven gems. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. Having, however, attained Arahantship, he uttered a stanza, making his Arahantship (aññā), manifest, by way of showing this advantage (attha) thus:– “From the proper performance (paṭipatti) of blind common folk (puthujjana) to the miserable destitutes (vidhurā) the behaviour of the holy nobles (ariya).” 76. ”One should be humble among the con- ceited; one should be exalted among the prideless. One should live among those living holy lives; one should not bemuse himself among those who are delighted in sensual pleasures.” There, uppatantesu conotes:– amongst the conceited; among the living creatures who are not calmed (anupasanta) on acount of self-exaltation by means of pride, flurry (uddhacca), obstinacy (thambha), impeteosity (sārambha) and so on. Nipate means would bend (nameyya): one would become habituated to humbleness by totally abstaining from those evil deeds (dhamma) even. Nipatantesu conotes: among those who bend down; among those who have come to ruinous deprivation (nihīyamāna) from good quality (guna) owing to idleness (kosajja) because of the state of being bent on low inclination (hīna). Uppate conotes: he would be haughty (unnameyya); he would endeavour from the point of view of quality (ganato) because of noble inclination and putting forth exertion as well. In other words, uppatantesu means; mong those who exert themselfes, among those who throw up their heads by way of ourburst amidst depravity. Nipate means: he should humble himsef by means of apt reflection (paccavekkhana) commensurately (anurūpa) in such a way that those forms of depravity do not spring up due to the power of computation (paṭisaṅkhāna); he shoud paralyse (vikkhambheyya) them and completely cut them off (samucchindeyya) as well. Nipatentesu means: among those who fall down (paripatenta); among those who are not wisely (ayoniso) mindful (manasikāra), because of the state of meagre urge (payoga) of exertion; in other words, when the deeds (dhamma) of clam composure (samatha) and spiritual insight (vipassanā) which have accordingly begun firm (yathāraddha) are dwindling (hāyamāna). Uppate means; those samatha and vipassanā should be supported (upaṭṭhāpeyya) propped up (uppādeyya) and developed (vaḍḍheyya) by means of the successful (sampadā) effort (ārambha) of exertion and by being wisely mindful. Vase avasamānesu means: he himself should live that life among those living creatures who live (avasantesu) the life of the right path (magga) and chastity (brahmacariya) as well as the life of a holy noble (ariya); in other words, he, himself, should live, likewise, among the holy nobles (ariyesu) who do not live (avasantesu) the life of depravity, which is life with a partner (dutiyaka), by which life, they are, namely, not living. Ramamānesu norame means: he himself should not bemuse and enjoy himself likewise among those creatures who are being delighted in the joy of strands of sensual pleasures and in the jollity of depravity; in other words, he himself should bemuse himself likewise among the holy nobles (ariyesu) who are bemusing themselves in such plesures as jhāna, etc., which is bereft of bait (āmisa); in any other nammer, beyond that, however, he should not bemuse himself at any time whatsoever; in other words, he should not specially enjoy himself otherwise; thus, is the meaning. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Piyañjaha is complete. ----